Maybe that is what BE had in mind when he spoke about Schumacher retiring whitout winning.He was playing Merc for not signing the CA yet, and therefor Schumacher wouldn't have a drive for next year...?

Ecclestone is aware of Schumacher's contract is for renewal, and I think that's what he had his mind when he was speaking about retirement, without any further thought that Michael's contract could be extended. I would not put too much weight to it. Eccleston is not the person who will tell us what's the deal for next year, and based on the past, I think he is just speaking his mind loud what he thinks that will happen, instead having his tongue on a lock and wait as everyone else.

If Lewis signs relatively soon, do you all think Merc will begin developing next years car with him in mind?

What do you mean? a special hand-grip on the steering wheel, with a fingerprint scanner? Or installed AI to help LH compute adequate responses to go proactive with with his future race engineer at last? If LH has a virtue as race driver, than it def is the ability to drive a wheelbarrow very close to F1 car standards. Engineers usually don't give a flying fxxx about the driver when they design a racing car. If they would, than EBD would never have happened. Also, I hardly think LH has the ability to give the type of input to an engineering team that actually has an impact on the end result of a design. If a driver like that exists at all, there are only a few on the grid, and only a few on a 30 year time-scale.

What do you mean? a special hand-grip on the steering wheel, with a fingerprint scanner? Or installed AI to help LH compute adequate responses to go proactive with with his future race engineer at last? If LH has a virtue as race driver, than it def is the ability to drive a wheelbarrow very close to F1 car standards. Engineers usually don't give a flying fxxx about the driver when they design a racing car. If they would, than EBD would never have happened. Also, I hardly think LH has the ability to give the type of input to an engineering team that actually has an impact on the end result of a design. If a driver like that exists at all, there are only a few on the grid, and only a few on a 30 year time-scale.

Wow, BS.

Schumi stated some of his initial struggles at Merc, was because the car wasn't developed to his liking. The engineers can design a car using a significant amount of the input of the drive.

Schumi stated some of his initial struggles at Merc, was because the car wasn't developed to his liking. The engineers can design a car using a significant amount of the input of the drive.

Yeah, well, he is one of the few. Plus, his initial struggles were down to the EBD. His struggles were shared by half of the grid by the way. So if his struggles are gone(it seems they are), it is not down to his input. Returned BS on a weak serve.

Surely, surely with the double DRS Mercedes should have a good weekend at Monza? Monza isn't known as a tyre eater so shouldn't be too big a disadvantage for the W03.

'Surely' is a word that is not part of this year's F1 vocabulary. DDRS is only useful in qualy. From there, race pace rules. Still, Monza should suit the Merc, true. How many times have we been left out in the cold on tracks that should suit the W03?

Todt believes that fears that Mercedes could leave the sport have now been eased, with its team principal Ross Brawn also saying at Monza that he expected a deal to commit the German car manufacturer to F1 to now be imminent.

When asked about the possibility of Mercedes quitting, Todt said: "I don't think so. But we must do everything to keep it. Besides, it's just at the beginnings with being a global constructor."

About the issue that has been mentioned earlier: concentrating on developing next year's car. There's no sense in doing that until they haven't found the reasons why this year's car doesn't work. Brawn's comments seem as if they have no clue, and there's no use in trying to remedy the problem's until you've understood them.